Mayor Greg Nickels today announced the release of the city’s draft Pedestrian Master Plan, the first citywide action plan aimed at making walking safer and easier in Seattle.

Launched by the mayor’s 2005 Pedestrian Safety Initiative, the Pedestrian Master Plan provides the city with a comprehensive strategy for making Seattle the most walkable city in the nation.

In the next six years, the city will invest $60 million to support pedestrian improvements through the 2006 Bridging the Gap levy. The Pedestrian Master Plan systematically examines the needs of walkers across the city and helps identify and prioritize projects in areas with the greatest need, according to a press release from the mayor's office.

Improvements include: new sidewalks, sidewalk repairs, safe routes to school, pedestrian countdown signals, crosswalks, pedestrian signage, and stairway rehabilitation.

“The Pedestrian Master Plan establishes a framework for making the right kind of improvements, both now and for tomorrow,” said Nickels. “We want people to be able to get around on foot: to the market, to school, to transit, wherever life takes them. These investments will offer real benefits to folks who use the most carbon-friendly mode of transportation – their feet.”

“Seeing the ways in which the city has committed itself to improving walkability is very impressive,” said Rebecca Deehr, co-chair of the Pedestrian Master Plan Advisory Group. “I look forward to the comment period and engaging Seattleites on how the plan can change their own neighborhoods for the better.”

For 2009, the city is already moving forward on many projects outlined in the Pedestrian Master Plan. Examples include:

- Creating sidewalks throughout southeast Seattle to improve connections to transit, such as the work at South Byron Street between Rainier Avenue South and McClintock Avenue South, and Wetmore Avenue South between South Byron and South Walden streets.

- Creating curb bulbs, at locations such as 35th Avenue Northeast at Northeast 130th Street, to safeguard pedestrians.

- Installing 40 new pedestrian crossing signals at locations such as Rainier Avenue South at South Oregon Street.

- Remarking 700 crosswalks with stop bars throughout the city.

- Improving school zone signage at 47 schools.

In 2008, the city of Seattle made infrastructure enhancements that support walking. Examples include:

- Installing six pedestrian crossing signals on Alaskan Way.

- Placing in-pavement flashers at six sites, such as Alaskan Way, King Street, and Lake City Way both north and south of 125th Street.

- Creating more than 25 pedestrian crossing flags zones, such as the one at South Jackson Street near Washington Middle School.

- Building 15 blocks of sidewalk through the pedestrian program, such as the new blocks on Greenwood Avenue from North 132nd to North 136th Streets;

- Installing sidewalk on Seventh Avenue South between Director and Henderson Streets via the Neighborhood Street Fund program, connecting Concord Elementary to Marra Farm.

- Rechanneling Eastlake Avenue between Aloha and Fairview to calm traffic and create a safer walking environment.

- Restriping or installing crosswalks citywide, such as the two new crosswalks on College Way North at North 92nd and North 97th Streets.

The public is encouraged to review the Pedestrian Master Plan and provide feedback. Public comments will be accepted through June 15. The Seattle City Council will hold a public hearing on July 21 and council action is anticipated in September.

The Seattle Department of Transportation, the lead agency in the drafting process, will meet in the upcoming weeks with neighborhood groups to provide additional information and take comments on the plan.

The public can learn more about the plan at two upcoming community events. Join the transportation and parks departments on May 11, from noon to 1 p.m. in the Microsoft Auditorium at the Central Library for an event featuring Mark Fenton, former host of the PBS show “America’s Walking.” A second event featuring Fenton takes place May 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Union Station.